John Laurens

John Laurens (28 October 1754-27 August 1782) was a Lieutenant-Colonel of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The son of American statesman Henry Laurens, John was a fervent abolitionist who worked together with Alexander Hamilton in writing anti-slavery essays and tried to recruit black soldiers for the American cause. In 1779, he formed a brigade of 3,000 slaves that fought for the Americans during the war, but he would not live to see the new country, for he was killed in the Battle of the Combahee River on 27 August 1782.

Early life
John Laurens was born on 28 October 1754 in Charleston, South Carolina, the son of wealthy rice planters Henry Laurens and Eleanor Ball. In 1771, he completed his studies in London and then in Geneva in 1772, and he was interested in science and medicine. However, he decided to follow his father's path as a lawyer instead, and in August 1774 he returned to London to resume his studies.

American Revolutionary War
In the summer of 1777, Laurens returned to the United States after finishing his studies and volunteered in George Washington's camp at the age of 23 despite his father's objections. Laurens befriended Alexander Hamilton, another aide-de-camp to Washington, and he fought at the Battle of Monmouth in 1778, and Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette said that he did everything necessary to procure one thing or the other, as he was wounded at the Battle of Germantown and unhorsed at Monmouth. On 23 December 1778, he challenged General Charles Lee to a duel in place of Hamilton, as Laurens was Hamilton's friend and wanted to prevent Washington from blaming Hamilton for the duel. Lee was shot in the side and yielded, and in March 1779 Laurens raised a regiment of 3,000 black soldiers. Laurens was different from other South Carolina leaders of the revolution in that he was a fervent abolitionist. In May 1780 he was captured during the Fall of Charleston by Great Britain, but in November he was exchanged and was sent as a special minister to France. In March 1781, the French agreed to send their navy to assist the American operations that year, and he returned America in time to see the French Navy arrive and take part in the Siege of Yorktown. Hamilton and Laurens stormed Redoubt No. 10 during the battle, and he returned to South Carolina after the battle. He created a spy ring in Charleston that reported on the British army's actions, and in August 1782 he joined Mordecai Gist in an attempt to stop the British from retrieving supplies. In the Battle of Combahee River, Laurens was shot in the side and killed, and his friend Tadeusz Kosciuszko replaced him.